


Base Attractions

by BladedDarkness



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Universe Alterations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-06-03 09:05:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6604945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BladedDarkness/pseuds/BladedDarkness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr Prompt: Kara is a mysterious alien the DEO has just taken in and Lucy is enamored.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Agent Danvers doesn’t like her much. She’s short with her answers and keeps her face politely neutral as she guides her around the D.E.O. and responds to her questions.

 

Lucy knows why. She’s read the files on the mission co-coordinated by her father and Director Henshaw, knows that one of the agents declared dead was Jeremiah Danvers, knows that his body was never recovered for his family. She knows that Alex is his daughter, that Alex has devoted her life to bringing in the alien that killed him, that Alex can barely stand to work under the man who had escaped the mission unscathed.

 

She’s here as a liaison between the military and the secret department, hopefully to repair relations between the two after that disastrous partnership over a decade ago. Despite that, Agent Danvers treats her with barely concealed disdain and hurries them back to Command.

 

Director Henshaw must not have finished his business with General Lane, because he frowns at Alex.

 

“Did you enjoy the tour, Major Lane?” he asks Lucy when they get close enough.

 

She nods. “It was very informative, sir.”

 

“You’ve seen what we’re up against now. Any thoughts?”

 

Lucy hesitates, because she  _ hasn’t _ . “I’m not sure, sir.” Her father looks surprised, because Lucy may not be as opinionated as Lois but she still usually has a comment on everything. “Truthfully, my alien encounters are limited to Superman as far as I know.”

 

Henshaw shoots a look at Agent Danvers over her head. “You were supposed to take Major Lane through the holding cells, Agent. Do so now.”

 

Agent Danvers clenches her jaw. “Yes, sir.” She turns without acknowledging Lucy and stalks back off down one of the hallways.

 

“Agent Danvers? Make sure to show her our newest capture.”

 

Alex halts, closing her eyes, then nods.

 

\-----

 

Alex stops them before a dead end hallway. “These aliens aren’t like Superman. You need to understand that. He grew up here. Earth is the only home he has ever known. The rest of them - they came here partially or fully grown and they have no respect for me or you. They see us as a species to conquer, a planet to reign.”

 

She’s heard such rhetoric from her father for at least the last decade, but this comment from Alex strikes her more than any of his sneers. Alex has lost her  _ father _ to an alien like the ones they hold here, and it hits her more profoundly than her father’s what-if scenarios that always contained an undercurrent of fear and envy.

 

Alex presses her palm to a hidden panel, and a new hallway is revealed, filled with innumerable doors.

 

The D.E.O. has worked hard to creatively contain each of these threats. Each species of alien presents its own challenges. It’s akin to a zoo, Lucy muses, if the zoo contained sentient animals bent on escaping and causing havoc. Alex walks them down the hallway, opening doors to the outer area of the cells and explaining the basic facts about each new species.

 

Two-thirds of the way down the hallway, she stops. “We just brought this one in last night. She’s still… volatile.” The unspoken comment that the other aliens are more complacent in their extended captivity nearly makes Lucy cringe.

 

The screaming starts before they are fully even in the room. The musical lilt to the language the alien is speaking is butchered by the dark and harsh tones, anger permeating every syllable.

 

She’s taller than both Lucy and Alex, dressed in a dark uniform that her light hair stands out against sharply. Deep blue eyes lock onto the two of them, and she jerks forwards, chains straining. Alex hurries over to a console and the hum in the room increases even as the viridian tint to the light grows. The alien backs off a little, snarling. The powerful slant to her shoulders becomes more of a slump. She spits something at Alex, growling.

 

“Do you know what she said?” Lucy asks, and Alex shakes her head.

 

“Near as we can tell, she doesn’t speak any Earthly language. Which is a little unusual, actually. You saw how even the ugly ones down the hall speak something we can at least recognize.” Alex takes a step closer, and the blonde hesitates, saying something again, less harsh. “She’s also younger than the ones we usually find. Of course, she could be centuries old for all we know, so don’t hold me to that.”

 

Even covered from her neck down, Lucy can see the rippling of muscle as the woman shifts, studying both of them in turn. Her face is calm now, but it’s easy to see the unease in her body and the fury in those eyes.

 

“I led the team that brought her in.”

 

“Where did you find her?”

 

Alex doesn’t look at her, focused on the alien woman in the cell. “Last night, a plane nearly crashed in National City. I was on it.”

 

“She was responsible?”

 

“No,” Alex answers, “she saved it.”

 

Something in Alex’s softening tone must be obvious to both Lucy and the alien, because the latter tilts her head curiously and Lucy squints as her hair moves.

 

“What is that?” she asks, pointing. Alex follows her pointed finger with her eyes, the both of them stepping closer to look at the barely glowing small object on her right shoulder.

 

“It’s a crest,” Alex says incredulously. “How did we miss that?”

 

“It’s an S.” Lucy adds, unnecessarily.

 

“Which means she’s probably Kryptonian. Like Superman.” Alex bites her lip. “I need to inform Henshaw. We knew the Kryptonite worked on her, but she’s so young… we just thought she had to be a related species because we need at least twice as much to subdue her as we would for Superman and he’s supposed to be the last.”

 

“I’m going to be remaining for at least a few weeks, as liaison. I could ask my sister, Lois, to contact Superman. He might know more.”

 

Alex shakes her head. “Hold off on that. I’ll need to clear it with Director Henshaw.” There’s still an undercurrent of wonder in her tone. “Let’s go.”

 

The alien shrieks as they turn to leave, and Lucy’s head snaps back to look at her before she thinks better of it. She’s already planning on visiting this strange woman more in the next few weeks if she can.

 

There’s something mesmerizing about this girl’s rage, even constrained in sickly green light and sturdy restraints. Her eyes burn white hot, and even though she can’t see her pupils, Lucy has no doubt that she’s making eye contact as they step through the doorway.


	2. Chapter 2

Negotiations between the D.E.O. and her father are in a lull after Agent Danvers shared their theory that the D.E.O.’s latest capture is possibly Kryptonian and her father had demanded sole custody of the alien.

 

“We have a lot of resources your department doesn’t have clearance for,” he insists, but Henshaw remains firm.

 

“If she’s Kryptonian, then she remains here. The more we move her, the more risk there is that people will find out that  _ neither _ of us want involved,” Henshaw replies, giving Lane a look.

 

Lane agrees that much, but they are at a stalemate otherwise.

 

\-----

 

It takes a few days before Lucy convinces Alex to give her access to the alien woman again.

 

She’s still suspicious of Lucy, especially given her father’s call for access to their newest capture. Unlike most of the agents and soldiers who are trying to avoid each other, the two of them are resigned to being paired together due to their superiors, so their interactions are terse but civil.

 

There’s no screaming as they enter the cell this time, though the woman stiffens as Alex brushes her fingers over the Kryptonite emitters contemplatively.

 

Lucy waves Agent Danvers off. “Leave it as is for now.” She steps closer and eyes the green-flecked chains. Alex doesn’t have to listen, but she pulls back anyway.

 

The woman’s blue eyes are studying her again, piercing even with the Kryptonite removing any potential x-ray or heat vision. The glance she gives Alex is different, though - perhaps because Agent Danvers is the one who brought her in. There’s a wariness there, mixed with slight confusion, perhaps.

 

She wishes they had a translator somehow. “Lucy,” she says, pointing to herself. Blue eyes flick to her chest and she drops her hand awkwardly, heart beating faster, though she manages not to blush. The alien almost gives her a wry smile.

 

“ _ Sheed _ ,” lilts the voice, and Lucy feels the skin on her forearms prickling. The alien’s voice is softer than she expected, sweeter, for the woman holds herself as if of great importance. Lucy has the distinct impression that the woman is cautiously compliant, because there’s a smirk tugging the corner of her lip and she holds her head higher than Lucy has seen it. It’s almost confrontational but not aggressive.

 

Alex comes to stand next to Lucy now. “Alex,” she introduces, trying to stare the alien down. Lucy wonders if she would try that without the Kryptonite - she suspects Alex would, given that the woman has taken down other aliens in the past.

 

“ _ Sheed _ ,” comes the dismissive reply again.

 

Lucy looks at Alex who shrugs. “For all I know, we’re being called assholes.”

 

Lucy points to the woman. “ _ Sheed _ ?” The smirk drops, but she gives a small nod.

 

“ _ Nahn Lusi w sheed. Nahn Aleks w sheed. _ ” She hesitates, then adds, pointing to her own chest, “ _ Nahn khap sheed. _ ” 

 

Lucy bites her lip. Aliens stressing names wrong should not be adorable, and that accent was alluring. “I think we can rule out asshole as a guess. Unless she’s a very self-aware alien.” Lucy taps her finger against her arm. “It’s something we all have in common, whatever it is.”

 

“Hap?” Alex mutters. “Not the worst alien name I’ve heard.”

 

“ _ Tanahvruhtodh rraopo w Kryptahniuo _ ?” She shuffles closer to the cell wall, a hopeful expression on her face and Lucy feels her throat get tight. She’s not sure what she said, but this girl came from somewhere so far away, and she’s barely Alex and Lucy’s age, if that, unable to communicate with the people who have imprisoned and weakened her after she saved a plane from falling out of the sky.

 

“Definitely Kryptonian, at least,” Alex says, then shrugs and shakes her head. “Sorry, Hap.”

 

The blonde frowns. She opens her mouth, but Alex is already turning away, finger flicking across her tablet as it chimes.

 

“Come on, Major Lane,” Agent Danvers starts, heading towards the door, “I have to set up my lab for some tests, and you can’t be in here unsupervised.” She waits for Lucy to exit the room before adding, “Go type up a nice little report for your father on the big bad alien, okay?”

 

\-----

 

Alex caves easier the next time Lucy asks to see the alien woman, just a couple days later, chewing her lip and dropping her eyes as she leads Lucy into the room.

 

Lucy’s not sure if the angry snarl that greets them or the bruise across the woman’s cheek is more surprising.

 

“What happened?” Lucy demands, stopping her rush forward when the alien settles into a defensive stance, chains stretched to their limits. Her upper lip curls at them.

 

Alex pokes at the Kryptonite emitters, tugging it down a notch. “It’s nothing bad. We just wanted to conduct a few tests and she freaked out about the needles.”

 

“Needles? Plural?”

 

Alex crosses her arm. “Blood work.”

 

“None of that gives her a bruise on her face.”

 

Alex slumps against the wall. “Look, even with the cuffs on, she still broke an agent’s collarbone. The Director was the only one who could get close enough to - ”

 

Lucy rounds on her. “Henshaw did this?”

 

There’s a sour twist to Alex’s mouth. “Yeah.”

 

Something in Alex’s voice and expression gives Lucy pause. It takes a moment for her to place the look on her face.

 

Guilt.

 

“You’re not happy about this either, are you?” Lucy asks.

 

Alex doesn’t meet her eyes. “She doesn’t belong here. I’m not sure she belongs anywhere anymore, honestly.” She taps a few times on her tablet.

 

Those furious blue eyes are still staring at them as they talk, posture tense. Her attention is more on Alex than Lucy, but it shifts as Lucy hands her bag to Alex. “Can you give this to her?”

 

Alex looks in it briefly. “Really?”

 

“We both know it’s better than what’s here,” Lucy argues, and Alex gives a sigh before making her way over to the cell.

 

“For you, Hap.”

  
The woman tries to ignore the bag once it’s inside the cell, watching them instead, particularly Alex. Still, every once in a while, her eyes flicker towards the item and her nostrils expand, though either stubbornness or fear keep her from moving closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's spelled "shed" but it is pronounced "sheed", as far as I can tell. There is another form, neutral gendered, "shehd." Kara could have used that - and probably should have - since using the (feminine, in this case) gendered form can apparently be considered rude outside close friends and family. Too bad for her the implied rudeness mostly went right over Alex's and Lucy's heads.


	3. Chapter 3

It takes several visits before the woman will look inside the bag while they are present. Lucy tries to talk to her occasionally, but she gets the feeling that she’s being ignored while also being scrutinized. Alex usually leaves them to their sneaky staring contests while messing with her tablet, though sometimes she tosses a sarcastic comment in when Lucy tries to talk to the woman and she remains silent, sneering and chin raised.

 

She still won’t meet their eyes and snarls occasionally, but it’s much less intimidating when there’s powdered sugar or chocolate frosting on the corner of her mouth and she’s cramming down donuts at an alarming rate.

 

“Are you sure she’s getting enough to eat?” Lucy asks for the third time, because even though the dark uniform still fits perfectly, she’s pretty certain the alien’s face is actually thinner every visit.

 

Alex rolls her eyes. “As near as I can tell. We haven’t exactly held a Kryptonian before and Superman hasn’t been that forthcoming in interviews, has he?” She makes a few notes with a stylus. “If you’re that concerned about it, try bringing her something healthy next time.”

 

The woman isn’t picky, at least. She wolfs down potstickers with the same enthusiasm she gave to eating a head of cabbage Lucy brought in out of curiosity, and it’s clear that despite Alex’s assurances, she’s missing something from her diet. Lucy just isn’t sure if it’s quantity or an unknown rare alien mineral not found in their earthly food.

 

Alex is right though. Superman doesn’t seem to have this problem. Maybe she can covertly ask Lois about Kryptonian dining…

 

Alex brings her own lunch in sometimes, constantly doing three things at once every time Lucy sees her now when she goes to visit the alien and Alex tags along. She gets the feeling that something is going on, but doesn’t understand how it would escape the notice of the soldiers still stationed at the D.E.O. if it was anything major. Every glimpse of Alex’s tablet presents a wall of alien text, indecipherable to Lucy (and perhaps Alex if the bags under her eyes are an indication).

 

“Here, Hap,” Alex says, haphazardly tossing what seems to most likely be her dessert into the cell and quickly shutting the door again. She goes to lean back against the wall near her seat and Lucy bites her lip, watching how her elbow casually knocks into the controls and conveniently shifts the slider for the Kryptonite emitters down a couple percent. “What?” Alex asks at the look, eyes sharp. “Chocolate pecan isn’t my favorite.”

 

Lucy opens her mouth but both of their heads snap around at the moan.

 

The woman is sitting against the cell wall across from them with her knees up, blissful smile on her face. She takes another bite and groans, eyes closing reflexively.

 

The tips of Alex’s ears turn red. “Well then,” she mutters, coughing and for a moment, she looks like she wants to leave the room and give the alien some privacy.

 

Lucy swallows dryly. 

 

The woman takes another bite then pouts down at her empty hands. She stands up, folding the bag up with her fingers and looks at them, chewing on her lip. Lucy tamps down the impulse to mimic the act.

 

“Kara,” she says suddenly, and it sounds so human yet alien at the same time, the inflection in the word just slightly off from what either of them are used to hearing. She waves her hand at them. “ _ Aleks. Lusi _ .” The woman taps her chest. “Kara.”

 

“Kara,” repeats Lucy, and tries not to flush at the the beaming smile she returns automatically. Alex murmurs the name at her side, a little awed and unconsciously picking at her nails, and Kara nods.

 

“Kara Zor-El,” she adds, straightening further and tapping the other side of her chest, over the crest.

 

“Lucy Lane.” Kara cocks her head to the side but says nothing, though her lips twitch as if she might mouth the words.

 

“Alex Danvers.” She straightens up, uncrossing her arms. “Well, we have a name now, I think,” Alex muses, reaching for her tablet. “Not that it helps much but at least it’s some - ”

 

The hum of machinery dies as fast as the lights, the room scarcely lit in green glow from Kara’s chains.

 

“Shit,” Alex whispers, and in the next moment she’s handing Lucy a heavy pair of Kryptonite cuffs and a knife. 

 

Lucy unsheathes it, slamming it back in as soon as the green glow becomes visible and Alex presses herself against the wall, gun in her hands already. Lucy shoots Kara a furtive look, but she’s staring at the green-tinged chains contemplatively, the pale light casting deep shadows across the side of her face.

 

Kara flexes one of her arms, and the chain breaks effortlessly. She freezes, then shoots them a sheepish look, ducking her head. The unspoken ‘oops’ is obvious.

 

Alex rolls her eyes in exasperation. “Okay, seriously? She’s been down here for a couple months, how the hell - ” Alex rants, cut off as the emergency lights kick in, minimum power now provided to the base through the backup generator. She bolts for the door, shouting “Stay here!” just as it slides shut behind her and the lock engages with a loud  **_snickt!_ **

 

And quite suddenly, Lucy is left alone with a possibly dangerous alien during lockdown. She swallows and turns back around.

 

The dim glow highlights her cheekbones, sharp as her face has grown thinner. Her dark uniform is absorbing most of what little light is thrown over her form, giving it such an impression of solidity that Lucy is starkly reminded of the undulation of muscle beneath Kara’s suit. The tilt of her head has her hair draped coyly over one shoulder, treacherously sensual yet effortless. The curve of her smile causes goosebumps to rise on Lucy’s skin.

Kara doesn’t look cute anymore.

 

She looks dangerous.

 

Kara meets her eyes impassively, twists her wrist and calmly snaps the second chain, links splintering and cascading to the floor with a jangle. 


	4. Chapter 4

Neither of them move for a long moment. The broken chain finishes clinking against the floor. Lucy hears her heart pounding in her eardrums, can feel the blood throbbing across her temples.

 

One heartbeat passes, then two and Kara smirks slowly. Her lip curls just enough for Lucy to see the glint of her teeth, then Kara snaps her arm forward and her clear cell shatters, crunches underfoot as she steps towards Lucy. She pulls what’s left of the chains from her wrists effortlessly and flings it aside.

 

She says something but Lucy can’t hear it over the rush of blood in her ears. Lucy’s sure she wouldn’t be able to understand it anyways, because the way Kara’s mouth twists is unfamiliar and superior as Lucy stares at her dumbly. Lucy wets her lips. “Kara?” she manages to croak out, and then she yelps and jumps to the side as Kara’s eyes burst into bright beams that barely miss her, aimed just over her shoulder.

 

She hears the metal popping behind her and pivots so that both the door and Kara are in view. The metal glows red hot, but to Lucy’s surprise, it doesn’t melt.

 

Kara must come to the same realization as well, because her eyes return to normal and she frowns. Then she takes in a giant breath and blows, and Lucy can feel the chill from halfway across the room as ice coats the door. Kara kicks the door quickly and it splinters, exploding out into the hall.

 

“ _ Lusi,” _ Kara growls out, voice lower than Lucy has ever heard. She points towards the cell. “ _ Fis.” _

 

Lucy shakes her head, uncomprehending.

 

Kara scowls and points again. “ _ Fis.” _

 

Lucy blinks, and Kara loses patience, hauling Lucy into her arms and depositing her into the cell at super speed. Kara steps back before Lucy even fully realizes that she has been moved.

 

“ _ Nim rraop w voi,” _ says Kara, and then she leaves the room.

 

Lucy hesitates for a long moment before following.

 

Agent Danvers would never let her live it down if she didn’t even  _ try, _ after all _. _

 

Kara is already at the entrance to the hallway, frowning at the crushed metal that was once a door. She cocks her head, listening, and blurs out of the containment area.

 

The D.E.O. is in chaos. Lucy’s not surprised to see that the agents are doing much better holding off the escaped aliens than her father’s soldiers. Still, there are an alarming number of crumpled bodies dotting the area. She tries to keep Kara in sight. It’s harder than she had anticipated in the enclosed area, because Kara is darting around every obstacle, alien and human alike.

 

No. That’s not accurate. She’s dodging the human bodies, but the aliens are  _ parting _ for her, eager to get out of Kara’s way as soon as they catch sight of her. Lucy is almost positive one of them even bows to her.

 

Lucy doesn’t understand why, though. She doesn’t get much chance to reflect on it when she’s flung into the wall. The knife slips from her fingers and she scrabbles at the hand around her throat.

 

Not that it does much good. The alien pinning her is one of the uglier ones the D.E.O. had contained, but Lucy doesn’t remember what Alex called it. All she knows is that it looks as strong as it feels. It makes a clicking noise Lucy realizes is laughter and squeezes tighter. It could end her life in a moment, if it chose, but the pressure increases so slowly Lucy wouldn’t even notice if she wasn’t so hyper aware of being choked right now.

 

A hand wraps itself around the back of the alien’s uniform and flings it into one of the consoles. 

 

Lucy is grateful, but she suspects Agent Vasquez won’t be when this is over.

 

Kara glares at her, incensed. She grabs Lucy’s arm and pulls her forward, tucking Lucy into her side and forcing her way across the room again.

 

“Th-thank you,” Lucy manages. Kara looks at her but says nothing, shoving an alien that looks vaguely insectoid to the side. Lucy tries to get her bearings as they head down another corridor.  _ She’s heading towards the entrance _ , Lucy realizes. Most of the other aliens look like they won’t be content until they slaughter every human in the base, but Kara is trying to leave.

 

And she saved Lucy, just like she saved Alex and a plane full of people.

 

Lucy catches sight of the crest on Kara’s uniform, the stylized emblem usually seen on Superman’s chest. “Alex was right,” Lucy mutters. Kara doesn’t belong here. She wonders if it’s too late to convince Kara to use all that power to help people like Superman does, except while acting under military authority.

 

Someone screams loudly behind them, but Kara doesn’t even glance back. It chills Lucy, because Kara is not Superman. She has no real love for the alien her sister admires, but she knows that he would be trying to help the agents Kara has left behind, instead of trying to leave.

 

Kara pries the doors apart, breathing in deeply. It’s her first breath of fresh air in at least a few months. She looks more relaxed than Lucy has ever seen her as she takes a few steps further outside, arm unwinding from around Lucy’s waist, face tilted towards the afternoon sun. Lucy recognizes the stance Kara takes in the next moment, well familiar with Superman’s liftoffs in Metropolis.

 

But Kara hesitates, turning back to the underground base and frowning. She looks at Lucy warily, and Lucy drops the cuffs she’s just realized she’s still carrying. It must be the right decision, because Kara takes a step back towards her and the base, then another.

 

She’s nearly to Lucy when a shot rings out and Kara almost stumbles, clutching her shoulder. Her fingers scrabble against the wound, plucking a green bullet out a moment later. Kara tosses the bullet away, shoves Lucy’s hands aside and locks glowing eyes onto the entrance of the D.E.O.

 

Lucy spins around in time to see her father pull the trigger again.


	5. Chapter 5

Kara’s speed startles all of them.

 

One moment, she’s several feet from Lucy and even further from the base. Before she can blink, Kara throws her father, sliding and dragging against the dirt.

 

His gun falls into a crumpled ball at Kara’s feet.

 

“ _ Zhagir zhazrhigia,” _ Kara spits, disdain clear as she wipes the surprise from her face. She kicks her foot at the dirt then lashes her leg forward. 

 

There's two crack-clunking noises, followed by the sound of her father dropping back to the dirt, his second gun hitting the ground behind him. 

 

Lucy looks from the gouge of exposed earth and rock caused by Kara's foot to the blood pouring from her father's head, his patrol cap knocked off. There's a hole clean through the cap and her heart stutters. 

 

She's not sure how, but she's dropping to her knees next to her dad and sighing in relief at the rapid pulse under her fingers. 

 

Lucy wonders how big the pebble Kara kicked at such high speed was to leave such a nasty scrape. She wants to ask if it was luck or intentional that her father's not dead, just unconscious. 

 

She’s also not sure she wants the answer. Kara may have saved a plane of innocent people, but she must have limits and Lucy’s father did just shoot her.

 

Lucy looks up when she realizes Kara hasn’t moved. The alien is just standing there, staring at them with a furrowed brow.

 

Then Kara straightens and crosses her arms.  _ “:zhalishodh khap,” _ she says stiffly, her face inscrutable.

 

Lucy just sighs. They really need a translator. But in the meantime, Lucy has too many other concerns. Her father needs a doctor, but every human in the base probably needs one at this point. And she has no idea what the state of the base is. None of the other aliens seem to have followed them to the surface, at least. She glances at the handcuffs, green glow evident even from this distance. 

 

Kara follows her gaze and shuffles a few steps further away, but makes no move towards the sky. She keeps her eyes locked on Lucy’s face.

 

Lucy finds she can’t look away from Kara’s blue eyes either. Something in them flickers, but it’s not her heat vision. Rather, there’s an emotion there that Lucy finds just as foreign as Kara’s entire being.

 

What types of emotions do Kryptonians feel? How do they differ from humans? There’s the obvious anger and fear that Kara has expressed before, and Lucy wonders if the protectiveness that Kara and Superman exhibit is a more universal Kryptonian trait than it is amongst humans. Maybe it just has to do with that glowing crest on Kara’s chest that they share.

 

There’s a scuffle at the entrance of the base and they both tense, whipping around to face the new threat. Lucy grabs her dad’s gun from the dirt and crouches in front of him. Kara’s eyes start to glow.

 

“Whoa!” Alex shouts as she stumbles out, arm wrapped over Agent Vasquez’s shoulders. There’s blood from the corner of her mouth and Vasquez’s left eyebrow is split open. Both of them are limping, but on opposite legs. Alex looks at them both, then notices General Lane on the ground and snorts. “I thought I told you to stay put.”

 

Lucy drops her arm, pushes back against the racing adrenaline in her veins. “Our alien had other ideas.” She gestures tiredly at Kara, who’s watching them all curiously, surprisingly still around. She’s eying Vasquez with the same suspicion she first showed Lucy and Alex. Lucy stands slowly. “How’s the situation inside?”

 

“Contained, for the most part,” Alex replies, slumping against the wall. “Your big guns do work on some of the dumber ones.” She props Vasquez up next to her. “Henshaw sent me to check out the breach here.”

 

“I’m not bringing you lunch on my day off ever again, Danvers,” Vasquez mutters. She tightens the cloth around her calf.

 

Alex rolls her eyes. “I’ll make it up to you.” She waves a hand at Kara. “You can fight this one for my mom’s pie next time.”

 

“Oh, I’m touched,” grumbles Vasquez. Kara frowns at her and she straightens. “‘S’up?” she asks in a much more pleasant tone than Lucy’s ever heard from the gruff agent.

 

Lucy moves towards the glowing cuffs. “We need to get her back inside.” She refuses to look at Kara.

 

A black boot beats her to the cuffs as she reaches for them. “Yeah, we’re not doing that,” Alex says, looking down at her. She grinds the cuffs under her heel for emphasis.

 

“You can’t be serious,” Lucy replies when Alex remains motionless. She straightens up and leans into Alex’s space. “You want to what? Let her go?”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Oh, why not? Because it’s breaking several procedures and is the opposite of our jobs?” She gestures at the three of them angrily. Kara has moved closer to Agent Vasquez and seems to be inspecting the cut over her eye, fingers not quite touching the skin. Her eyes keep darting over to Alex and Lucy though, unsure if she should interfere. “Or how about because she’s dangerous? Or - ”

 

“You feeling endangered, Suze?” Alex cuts in, keeping her eyes locked onto Lucy’s.

 

“My evening is in danger.”

 

Alex scoffs. “You giant nerd. I already agreed to pay for drinks.”

 

“This is serious,” growls Lucy. “She has no concept of our society, no language, no money, no identification! She needs to be integrated.”

 

“Great, so you’re in agreement then! Because she’s not going to get that here,” Alex argues, eyes hardening and shoulders settling into a bullish stance.

 

“I - look,” starts Lucy, glancing at Kara again. Kara, who is watching them both with wary eyes and tense muscles, but who still hasn’t flown away from their reach. Lucy’s shoulders slump. “We can’t just let her go.”

 

“Then she needs to stay with someone, at least temporarily. And it can’t be us.”

 

Lucy sucks on her teeth, thinking. “I may have someone in mind.”

 

Alex pauses. “You sure?”

 

Lucy nods. “I can give you the address,” she says, but Alex shakes her head.

 

“Vasquez can do it. It’s her day off after all, and she wasn’t supposed to be here. And,” Alex adds, eyes glinting, “the attack erased the security footage for the thirty minutes before lockdown. The system is still down.”

 

Lucy eyes Alex. “Convenient.”

 

“Don’t look at me like that.” Alex scowls at her. “I didn’t have anything to do with this.” Lucy’s eyes wander to Vasquez and Alex sticks a hand in her face. “Neither did she.” She bites her lip. “Someone  _ did _ attack the base. Focus on that.”

 

“Fine,” agrees Lucy, because she didn’t think Alex would be that into causing mayhem and injuries. Not to her fellow agents. “Let’s get this over with, then.”

 

Vasquez is already heading towards an SUV, keys pulled out. She tosses the GPS to Lucy as she opens the door and Alex stumbles over to offer her an additional gun.

 

Kara watches the three of them.

 

Alex finally finishes fussing over Vasquez, in Lucy’s opinion, and turns to Kara. “C’mon.”

 

Kara stares at her.

 

“Get in.”

 

Kara looks over at Vasquez in the driver’s seat and blinks.

 

Lucy points at the SUV. What was it Kara said to her earlier? “Fish.” Kara looks at her curiously. “Fish.”

 

“What the hell are you doing?” Alex butts in. “Don’t go confusing her like - ” She cuts off as Kara lifts Vasquez’s SUV over her head.

 

Vasquez yelps and her knuckles turn white around the steering wheel. “Shit.”

 

“No!” Lucy starts to rush forward then thinks better of it. “No, no, set it back down please.”

 

Kara frowns and Lucy mimes setting it on the ground, gently. Kara hesitates and then copies the motion and they all breathe a sigh of relief. Vasquez mutters another curse, pale and annoyed.

 

Gingerly, Lucy opens the door and slides into the passenger seat. “See? Fish.”

 

Kara’s eyes light up and Lucy shares a stunned look with Alex as the alien chuckles. It’s one of the most charming sounds Lucy has ever heard.

 

Kara shakes her head, still giggling.  _ “Zha.” _ She takes Lucy’s hand gently and directs it so she’s pointing up.  _ “Fish.” _ Then she pushes Lucy’s hand further into the vehicle.  _ “Fis.” _

 

“Oh,” Lucy mutters, feeling momentarily stupid. The tips of her ears feel as hot as Kara’s hand over hers. She climbs out of the SUV and gestures at Kara.  _ “Fis.” _

 

Vasquez noticeably relaxes when the SUV is not lifted into the air this time.

 

Alex gives Lucy an incredulous look that she pointedly ignores when she reaches around Kara and straps her in place firmly.

 

She’s about to the shut the door when Kara’s hand dart out into the gap and grabs her wrist.  _ “Lusi?” _ She cuts her eyes to the agent beside the lawyer.  _ “Aleks?” _

 

“Shh, it’ll be okay. Agent Vasquez is going to take care of you until my friend is home.”

 

Kara just stares at her, but she pulls her hand back inside the vehicle and Lucy takes the opportunity to shut the door. She jumps when Vasquez turns the ignition and a crunching noise rends the air.

 

Vasquez shoots Alex as a murderous look as she drives passed them, unable to look at the armrest in Kara’s hand.

 

“I am in so much trouble,” groans Alex.

 

Lucy takes one more look at her still unconscious father and makes a call.

 

“James? I need a favor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to euonymy for looking over the Kryptonese. There's a few minor edits to the Kryptonese in the chapters before this one as well.

**Author's Note:**

> I do Prompt Fridays on my tumblr (same url) now. This is one of them.


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